… to Sydney, Australia …

… home of the stunning Sydney Opera House (even more amazing in person) and the Harbor Bridge, built in 1932 and still the world’s widest bridge. We arrived on a glorious summer Saturday morning, under bright blue skies and a temperature in the high 80s.

   

Our dock was Darling Harbor rather than Circular Quay, so the ship ran a free shuttle bus to Pitt Street, close to the Quay and Sydney’s oldest neighborhood, the Rocks. We rode the shuttle to Pitt Street, then walked down Pitt Street toward the main shopping district, stopping at a gallery of aboriginal arts and crafts. Frank showed great promise, so we left the shop with a large package containing a well-wrapped didgeridoo. A short walk brought us to a lovely area of small and large shops, with lovely old block-long shopping arcades. 

   

We hurried back to the ship for a fast pizza lunch before an afternoon bus excursion. The tour headed past the Bridge and the Opera House for photos, then along the Royal Botanical Gardens, where we stopped to see a bench hewn out of the rocks for Mrs. McQuarie. She was the wife of a popular early Governor, and used to watch for ships coming from England bringing food to the colony, which regularly hovered on the brink of starvation.

   

We meandered through the tony neighborhoods of Paddington and Woolloomooloo, and saw the lovely old shade trees in Centennial Park, the largest park in the city. Next stop: Bondi Beach, crawling with people on a sunny Saturday. This gorgeous natural harbor with its white sand beach attracts families, body-builders, surfers – even tight-rope walkers! There was a skate-boarding competition in progress at one end of the beach. We stopped for an ice cream and photos. Warnings abound about sharks and precautions to take.

   

From Bondi and its shops and restaurants we drove to Watson Bay and its lighthouse, then had a quick stop at The Gap, a natural cleft in a high cliff that has become an infamous suicide spot in Sydney. We saw the Rocks again before returning to the ship.

   

Our second day in Sydney began with a shuttle bus ride to Pitt Street, but this time we walked toward Circular Quay and the Rocks. The city is a hotbed of markets on the weekend and we shopped among stalls selling opal and pearl jewelry, handmade clothing, natural cosmetics, teas, coins, even masks. We had a quick lunch at an Italian restaurant, washed down with local beer.

    

We climbed the gangplank just before the 3:00 mandatory all aboard.

Fun facts about Sydney and Australia: The convicts sent here were convicted of lesser crimes – horse-stealing, pick-pocketing, stealing food to eat, clothes to wear, etc. Homes in some neighborhoods have wrought iron balconies and decorations reminiscent of New Orleans; they were constructed with the iron brought as ballast in ships’ holds. Sydney derives much of its unique character from its many beautiful old sandstone buildings. Other distinguishing factors are its natural harbor, lovely beaches, lots of parks, and the mix of new skyscrapers with old historic buildings. The oldest section, The Rocks, was literally carved out of the rocks by convicts and you can see the grooves they made while cutting the rocks. Property in Sydney is too expensive for most people to buy or rent, with small houses in the nicest areas going for millions of dollars; most people live in the suburbs. A very active system of ferries, trains, subways, buses, and even a metrorail keep people moving. The Sydney Opera House was the only building to be named a UNESCO Heritage Site while the architect was still alive. Because of severe cost and time overruns the project was turned over to a new architect to finish and the original architect vowed to never see the completed building; he never did, but his son is now leading renovation efforts to restore the interior to his father’s original plans.

I have to include a few photos of the work of aboriginal artists. It is stunning!

Hope you’ve enjoyed this quick trip to Sydney!